SUMMER IN THE CITY

What does one do when the weather's stiflingly hot? In New York City, they escape the heat by flocking to nearby beaches where they soak up the sun and enjoy a refreshing dip in the sea. Coney Island, Manhattan Beach and Brighton Beach in Brooklyn, Far Rockaway and Jacob Riis Park in Queens, South Beach and Midland Beach on Staten Island, Orchard Beach in the Bronx... these are just some of the sanded beaches that New Yorkers are lucky to have on their own doorstep.

For local photographer Sherrie Nickol, she believes these city beaches offer a fascinating picture of daily life, and wanted to capture the spirit of the urban seaside. "What excited me particularly when I began to explore these beaches was the multi-ethnicity of families, teens and friends all enjoying their time by the ocean, which was only a subway ride away," she explains.

This particular collection of images – part of an ongoing series entitled By the Water – was taken during the summers of 2016 and 2017, although to look at them, with their black and white, nostalgic style, you'd be forgiven for assuming they're from another decade. Perhaps the '70s or '80s.

These shots are of the people and sights at beaches located within the five boroughs of New York City.